


pressed in the pages

by myeuphorio



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Canon Compliant, Chocolate, Crying, Fluff, Gift Giving, Happy Ending, Insecure Ignis Scientia, Jealous Ignis Scientia, Jealousy, Love Confessions, M/M, Mutual Pining, Pining Gladiolus Amicitia, Pining Ignis Scientia, Romance, Romantic Fluff, Valentine's Day, Valentine's Day Fluff, and it's ~emphatic~ and everything, i love how that's a tag, it's a miracle that only one made it in, omg that's a tag too wild, one swear word, the author is doing their best, they're doing their best
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-13
Updated: 2021-02-13
Packaged: 2021-03-12 13:28:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,921
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29261256
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/myeuphorio/pseuds/myeuphorio
Summary: “What if,” Ignis scoffs to himself quietly, hands pulling his files for the day closer to his chest. “What if I, too, had such liberty to entertain these things?”Ignis' duty, first and foremost, lies with Noctis and ensuring that he becomes a king worthy to sit the Lucian throne. He has little time to entertain his own whims, especially when they concern a certain Shield who is equally duty-bound, and so he carries on to the best of his ability despite his desires to justtry. As Valentine's Day comes and draws to a close, however, the notebook in his hands indicates that perhaps he is at more liberty than he gave himself credit for.
Relationships: Gladiolus Amicitia/Ignis Scientia
Comments: 6
Kudos: 21
Collections: Gladnis Valentine's Exchange 2021





	pressed in the pages

**Author's Note:**

  * For [bloody_empress24](https://archiveofourown.org/users/bloody_empress24/gifts).



> Hello!
> 
> I'm not going to lie here, this is the first fic that I have successfully finished in about four or five years... I took a long break from writing but fairly recently got back into it, and I hope that my rustiness doesn't show too much with this piece! A special shout-out to **[Ren](https://www.archiveofourown.org/users/Ren_Luna)** for doing a quick read over of this for me to help me avoid this <3
> 
> To **Rui** who is receiving this fic: I hope it's to your liking! You said to surprise you, and whilst that admittedly left me rather stumped for awhile, I ended up going (what I thought was) a rather safe route. It's based off of the Japanese _giri_ (obligation) and _honmei_ (true feeling) chocolate traditions given how Insomnia has a lot of Japanese influence, and I admittedly took a small liberty with the canon timeline as we don't know exactly when in 756 the "peace treaty" between Lucis and Niflheim was proposed by Ardyn.
> 
> With that out of the way, however, I hope you all enjoy!

Valentine’s Day, Ignis has decided, is his least favourite day to be working at the Citadel. Holidays in general can be rather difficult, he feels, given how many tend to get distracted from their duties by the festivities, but this one in particular annoys him in a way he’s not quite sure he’s emotionally ready to be admitting to yet. Shades of red and pink completely flood his vision, and the soft tones of romantic love songs barely draw the attention away from the low whispers of budding cupids and taunting ‘what ifs’.

“What if,” Ignis scoffs to himself quietly, mindlessly pulling his briefcase closer to his side. “What if I, too, had such liberty to entertain these things?”

The thought is quickly shaken off as Ignis’ pace quickens. Thankfully, the day is drawing to a close soon and, as much as Ignis may begrudge Valentine’s, he’ll admit that this year has been relatively painless. The usual freshly cleaned smell of the Citadel is almost entirely masked by rich chocolate and sweet roses, and irked as it may have made him at times, it certainly made sitting through a day of meetings more bearable than it otherwise could have been. He appreciates that roses are a staple of the romantic celebrations Lucis-wide as much as the next person, but chocolates, or rather, chocolate _giving_ , is a particularly Insomnian tradition, from what Ignis has gathered. There seems to be an art to it- especially concerning the differences between _giri_ and _honmei_ , and how to give them to another.

Ignis scoffs to himself once more and turns the corner. Professionally speaking, giving _giri_ chocolates to one’s peers is more than acceptable in his eyes. This year, he’s even graciously received a few boxes himself- thankful to each of his kind coworkers for thinking of him- and there’s no doubt that it has greatly lifted the morale of the staff in general. With the promise of peace lingering in the air, the promise that the prince and his retinue shall soon leave for Altissia lingers too. It’s a promise to the start of the future; to the end of a cycle of vicious war and ceaseless suffering. It’s a promise to the new dawn- a dawn which welcomes the formidable unknown looming there in the beyond. It… shall truly be the end of life as Ignis knows it, and his heart squeezes painfully in his chest as the familiar vision of warm chestnut eyes flashes through his mind.

A shiver passes down his spine and he quickly scolds himself for indulging himself in the Shield so easily. See, Gladiolus Amicitia has been somewhat of a permanent fixture in his life since Ignis made the move to Insomnia all that time ago. For sixteen years, he has been there by his side, the two bound by a responsibility over the young prince exclusive to them, but also by a profound companionship that Ignis has yet to find with any other. A profound companionship, he laments, that gives him far more _cardiovascular activity_ than desired.

This, of course, leads him onto his current problem: _honmei_ chocolates. Chocolates that have one’s true romantic feelings ‘melted’ into them have _no_ place in such establishments, surely? Especially when they’re—

“Hey, Iggy!”

Ignis halts abruptly, thankful to keep his footing as his head whips up to an all too familiar voice.

“Gladio.”

The Shield, as per usual, is a dominating sight to behold. There’s something unfair about the way he holds himself as he strides over; an air of confidence that mere mortals such as himself could never aspire to. The sly smirk on his face is oddly comforting- a smirk brimming with self-esteem and spirit that’s so decidedly _Gladiolus_ that it somehow makes Ignis’ heart hurt even more. His facial scar, long healed, is like a trophy of his position that he wears just like the monstrous Enkidu tattoo across his back, and as much as Ignis wills himself not to stare at its head there on his exposed chest beneath his customary leather jacket, just a _peek_ will surely be harmless.

If Gladiolus notices the small but longing glances, he opts not to mention them as he throws an arm across Ignis’ shoulders with a bright laugh. “Good t’ see ya! Didn’t think I’d run into ya here, y’know?”

Ignis chuckles freely, settling into the affectionate touch with a quick push of his glasses up his nose bridge. “Oh? Even though this is the direct path to the lifts?”

Gladiolus laughs brightly again with a quick roll of his eyes. “Y’know what I mean, Iggy! Ya busy as hell recently, what with the prep for our trip comin’ up! Feels like I never see ya any more.”

“Whilst I can’t help the increasing lack of break in my schedule, you know very well where to find me should you wish to see me, Gladio.”

“Yeah, but I _always_ wish t’ see ya, Iggy, and I get ya dartin’ around and I can’t be intrudin’ in ya office all the time. Got my own things t’ do too, after all.” The tone is airy as the arm around Ignis’ shoulders tightens slightly. Gladiolus smiles down at him, completely unaware of how Ignis’ _undesirable cardiovascular activity_ has heavily resumed once more, before his eyes light up briefly. “Speakin’ o’ which, I left a little somethin’ for ya in there on ya desk. Take a look for me when ya next get in there?”

Ignis nods, adjusting his grip on his briefcase slightly. He goes to ask what said ‘little something’ is as gift exchanges between the two are few and far between outside of special occasions like birthdays or non-romantic holidays, but before he can, a much lighter voice cuts in.

“Lord Gladiolus!”

Both Ignis and Gladiolus turn to face the direction it came from, and Gladiolus steps away slightly. Ignis’ soundlessly bemoans the way Gladiolus’ arm vanishes from around him, and he can only hope that his disappointment doesn’t show on his face as he, too, takes a step away. Eagerly approaching them is a young woman (no doubt around their age) who Ignis only vaguely recognises through his traversings around the Citadel, and he distantly wonders whether she’s one of the new interns they’ve brought in for the lead up to the treaty. She’s dressed well, and in her arms is a pale pink box that she clings to tightly as if it were some precious jewel. There’s a flush across her cheeks and Ignis can only _wish_ that it’s not what it seems as she stops before them.

“Lord Gladiolus,” she says again, softer this time as she looks up at him with wide doe eyes, causing Gladiolus to rub the back of his neck sheepishly as he waves his hand slightly in front of himself. It’s... an oddly shy gesture, Ignis notes sadly.

“Just call me Gladio,” he says to her, and the awe-stricken, enamoured smile on her face as she shakily nods causes something downright _ugly_ to flash through Ignis’ veins. He _hates_ it- _loathes it_ \- and he equally loathes that the purpose of the box in her hands suddenly becomes all too apparent. The weight in his chest amplifies and he can’t help but choke out a breath as it becomes too much and his knees buckle.

Gladiolus’ gaze falls on Ignis. “...Ya good there, Iggy?”

With that tone of voice and look in his eyes, Ignis could almost convince himself Gladiolus was concerned about him and his uncharacteristic change in demeanour. How could he be, though, when he has a suitor right in front of him?

“Ah, yes,” he dismisses emptily. “Don’t mind me; I’m alright.” He takes a second and inhales deeply before standing up straight again and looking Gladiolus in the eye. “Besides, I need to return to my office regardless so I’ll take my leave first. If you will both excuse me.” 

He bows shallowly, turning slightly on his heel and making a beeline to the lifts, leaving Gladiolus alone there with the girl. The furrow in Gladiolus’ brow goes unnoticed by him.

“G-Goodbye, Lord Scientia! Happy Valentine’s Day!”

Ignis pauses briefly, but does not turn to look at the girl. He doesn’t think he could handle it, especially upon hearing such _sincerity_ in her voice.

“Thank you. You as well.”

The words are as hollow as he is.

Ignis truly hates to admit it, but the walk from there to his office passes by him in a blur. He barely even registers as he crosses the path of a fleeing Noctis and Prompto. Noctis’ quiet greetings and disgruntled complaints about wishing to sleep or be at the arcade or do anything that isn’t talk so much about his own wedding fall on deaf ears, as does the bright but muffled laughter of Prompto as he tries to keep his composure at his best friend’s antics; failing miserably. His mind is just… completely consumed by the image of that girl as she demurely looks to Gladiolus, no doubt offering that large box of (likely homemade) _honmei_ chocolates as they speak. Something unpleasant burns once more in the pit of his stomach, and his fists clench as their concerned expressions, too, go unnoticed.

_No_ , he scolds himself, eyes trained heavily on the path in front of him as bids the two of them a distracted ‘farewell’. _You are better than this, Scientia. You are above such trivial jealousies._

...Is he truly though? When he saw that girl- that bashful, undeniably beautiful girl who was completely taken with the Shield in front of her- he was just entirely overtaken by the feeling, and if he were _truly above it_ , surely he wouldn’t have felt it at all?

_But that’s the issue though, isn’t it? That you felt it. That you’re_ you.

That girl… she’s the kind of girl every respectable aristocrat wishes to have by their side. Ignis _knows_ this, having been constantly reminded by his uncle and the fellow aristocrats around him, yet Ignis, however, was never one of these ‘respectable aristocrats’ himself. He, too, just like these women, was enchanted by the charms of the Shield both on and off duty. Whether he be wielding a hulking greatsword or delicately flicking through the pages of his latest read, Gladiolus had claimed a little part of Ignis’ soul. Gladiolus… Gladiolus was surely _it_ for him.

_I love him._

Ignis all but throws himself into the empty lift, pressing the button to his floor before forcing the doors shut with a second button press.

_I love him._

He all but throws himself out of the lift, as well, before he breaks into a dash down the corridor to his office where he can just be _alone._

_I love him._

Ignis isn’t like that girl- not by any stretch of the imagination. He’s duty-bound and, no matter what he may desire, he can never honestly put Gladiolus first. Noctis _has_ to be his number one and as he is, he can’t give Gladiolus the love he truly deserves.

_But, Six, I love him anyway._

Ignis makes it to his office. His hand wraps around the door knob but makes no move to turn it, the momentum just bleeding out of his body. Instead, his body almost collapses into the door, forehead pressed firmly against it. He makes quick work of removing his glasses, tucking them into his collar before taking a deep breathe. The corridor is empty, yes, but it’s lined with offices of high-ranked Citadel figures and being seen as a lovesick mess by his superiors is not on Ignis’ to-do list by any stretch of the imagination, and he takes another deep breath before twisting and stepping inside. The briefcase is tossed aside carelessly as Ignis throws himself face first onto his settee with a muffled groan of frustration. It hurts. His body hurts. His head hurts. His _heart_ hurts.

Why did he have to fall so helplessly in love with one of his best friends- someone he could never dream of having? What did he do to deserve this from the Hexatheon? When has he ever been anything but deathly loyal to Noctis in their eyes? When has he ever been selfish when it comes to his duties, even with this, the thing he wants most?

Tears prick in the corner of his eyes and he doesn’t have the energy to wipe them away. He opts to just let them fall.

It hurts. It hurts so fucking much.

The concept of time seems to pity him as it slips away from beneath him. Ignis has no idea how long he’s been lying there with tears burning tracks on his cheeks, but it’s at least been long enough for that all encompassing agony to have faded into a dull numbness. All things considered, he does not have the time to be indulging his mournings for a love that never truly was, but he’s grateful that he afforded it to himself regardless. It’s been… cathartic.

Ignis manages to pull himself up, running a hand through tousled, mussed hair and wiping the remnants of tears away. His eyes are bleary and his body heavy but it’s okay. He’ll be okay. He always is.

A low sigh escapes past his lips as he checks over his glasses and slides them back onto his nose. His office is a peculiar comfort for him (perhaps because he spends so much time in here), and he just takes a further moment to glance across it. Vast windows on the back wall frame the familiar purples of dusk in a way that has never failed to captivate Ignis, and the bookshelves lined with tomes and filing and minimalist décor are washed with its warm glow. 

“Dusk...” he murmurs to himself as he stands, approaching the windows. His fingertips trace unwittingly across their trims, and he sighs once more. Valentine’s Day is truly coming to an end now, and painless at it had been earlier, he still can’t shake what happened. He may well have witnessed the beginning of the end for his first and only love, and he doesn’t really know how to process the fact that Gladiolus- kind and brave Gladiolus- may be leaving Ignis behind.

His focus turns to the sunset once more and the fading pinks at the very edge of the horizon. They’re beautiful, truly, just like the pink of the girl’s box of chocolates from earlier.

Electricity shoots through him as Gladiolus’ words from earlier sharply pulse through his mind.

**“Speakin’ o’ which, I left a little somethin’ for ya in there on ya desk. Take a look for me when ya next get in there?”**

It’s as if his body is on autopilot, the way his head rapidly darts around to look at his desk, and his eyes fall almost immediately on the small pile placed neatly in front of his computer. 

“What…?”

He turns to face his desk fully now. He rests a hand on the back of his chair almost as if to keep him grounded as he takes in the sight properly.

It’s a notebook and _chocolates._

He almost can’t believe his eyes at all. It’s just… receiving _chocolates_ from Gladiolus on Valentine’s Day is completely and utterly surreal, if he’s being honest- and the shock he feels reminds him of bolting upright from a nightmare.

He, _Ignis Stupeo Scientia_ , has just received a notebook and _chocolates_ from _Gladiolus Amicitia_.

He takes a step closer to the desk, grip on the back of his chair tightening subconsciously. Rationally speaking, there’s little chance that these chocolates are anything other than _giri_. People have been exchanging these chocolates with each other all day, and it’s not an exchange that’s uncommon for friends to do, either. He and Gladiolus are indeed friends too, after all, so he’d... rather not get his hopes up.

That presents him, however, with the issue of the notebook. His birthday was a week ago now, and Gladiolus has already given him a gift so… what is the true meaning of it? A gift in passing?

The thought causes Ignis to pause. His grip on the chair relinquishes and it instead finds his chest. He can feel the way his heart is accelerating, but for the first time today, it’s _exhilarating_ . Gifts in passing don’t particularly fall into Gladiolus’ usual mannerisms or behaviour, and Ignis can’t help but hope. _Please,_ let this mean something more than just a whim of kindness. _Please_ let this mean he hasn’t been left behind.

The pinks on the horizon finally begin to make their leave and dark blues paint the rest of the sky. Stars shine there like small pinpricks, and Ignis can’t help but give them another quick glance. It feels symbolic, in a way, and before he can stop himself, he finds himself turning back around to the desk and reaching out.

The notebook is, for a lack of better phrase, truly beautiful. The cover is a deep purple faux leather, so dark that it’s almost black, and it’s far softer than Ignis could have ever imagined. As Ignis carefully picks it up, he’s rather surprised at its sturdiness given how thin it is, but it’s very quickly becoming a treasured possession. Gladiolus surely must have put a lot of thought into it, and something about that sentiment deeply resonates within him. He huffs out a disbelieving chuckle as his fingers dance over the binding and cover once more.

But perhaps, though, it _is_ just a belated birthday present. This is _Gladiolus Amicitia_ Ignis is talking about, after all- a man who basks in romance and chases after any fleeting presence of a beautiful woman if it means he can exchange a few sweet words. Ignis may well be understanding that he does it for a sense of thrill and for a desire to be loved and to be _wanted_ , but that doesn’t mean said understandings make him feel any less insecure about his own romantic interests in Gladiolus. Kind and observant as he may be, Ignis knows all too well that things recently have not been the same as usual for him. Just like Ignis has been increasingly busy, Gladiolus has been too- a valued member of Noctis’ retinue that will be absolutely essential for their upcoming journey- and so he just hasn’t had the time to chase these impulses of his. There’s a more than possible chance, then, that this notebook was simply forgotten in the mayhem and that Gladiolus only just found a good time to give it to him properly. There’s a more than possible chance that Ignis is just letting himself get swept up in his optimism; that it isn’t the amorous gesture that he so wishes it was.

Gladiolus Amicitia is a romantic, and Ignis Stupeo Scientia is not- not by a long shot. His love language isn’t extravagant bouquets and waxed poetry and heartfelt serenades like the former’s, but rather the quiet actions of just making sure those around him are well taken care of and happy in their day-to-day lives. Ignis knows this about himself, and he also knows that Gladiolus, should he be going after a romantic interest, would be much more inclined to do something _grand_. He surely wouldn’t be leaving gifts of notebooks and chocolates in their office with nothing more than a whisper of “take a look for me”.

Nevertheless, Ignis shouldn’t be allowing himself to delude himself so easily; it’s just not good for his heart. Gladiolus has never looked at him that way before, so there is absolutely no reason for that to change now. They’re friends- profound companions- and Ignis just has to accept how that is all the two of them will ever be.

A pale pink sticky-note where the notebook was then catches eye. Ignis’ head cocks curiously. The handwriting is all too familiar to him- calming to him, given everything that just transpired- and he wills his heart to not skip another beat as his eyes quickly scan over the words.

**_Saw this and thought of you. There’s a gift inside. The chocolates are_ ** **honmei** **_._ **

Ignis’ eyes widen slightly. _Honmei_ chocolates? From… from Gladiolus? _Impossible_ , he tells himself. There’s surely no way he would be giving Ignis _honmei_ chocolates on Valentine’s Day- not when he has so many suitors like that girl from before lined up, eager to pair with the _Shield of the True King_ . There’s so many potential people for him that _aren’t_ duty-bound to Noctis like he is; people who can be there for Gladiolus and put him first where Ignis will never be able to, so why…? How? His heart constricts painfully in his chest again, but it has him smiling hopefully as he glances at the chocolates once again.

“Could it really be?” He breathes to himself, note crumpling slightly as his fingers twitch. “Surely not…?”

The image of the girl from before flashes through his mind again: her bright brown eyes glowing with unadulterated _affection_ as she looked at Gladiolus; the way she didn’t even acknowledge Ignis’ own presence at first; the _shy gesture from Gladiolus as he tells her to use just his name._ She seemed like such an honourable woman to have at one’s side from that first impression so if these are _honmei_ then…

“Was I... mistaken?”

His voice is thin as he replays Gladiolus’ gesture in his mind again, and he feels his body still. No matter what that gesture truly meant, Ignis is someone Gladiolus would never lie to. Ignis someone that Gladiolus trusts with his life, both on and off duty and so… does that _really_ mean...?

He can’t help but hold the note close to his chest, almost as if he was cradling it. It’s… it’s impossible and yet it’s _happening_. The girl from before seems to completely leave his mind as he takes a deep breath and looks out the window once more, watching as the pinks completely vanish. The stars now dominate his view, lighting up the night sky with a myriad constellations. The moon stands there proudly amongst them all, glowing brighter than Ignis has ever seen it glow before, and he takes the notebook gently into his hands once more. It’s so oddly unlike Gladiolus to have done something like this as a romantic gesture, but… in a way, it truly feels like it’s the most fitting. It may not be grand and extravagant, but perhaps it works better for the two of them this way.

Ignis takes a moment as he opens up the covers. Not many things can be easily concealed inside a notebook, and he can’t help but wonder what the gift could be as he gently begins to flick through the ivory pages. They’re smooth but sturdy under his touch, and Ignis never really knew before that he can be so enamoured with paper. He tries to think of all the potential things that he may be able to do with such a gift, but any thoughts completely vanish from his mind as he reaches the final page and is met yet again with an all too familiar penscript.

**_I love you, Ignis._ **

He smiles tenderly at the sight, tears welling once more in equally smiling eyes. 

**_I love you too, Gladio._ **

For there, pressed in the pages beside those four little words, like a signature etched on his heart, is the gift of a single stem of alice blue gladioli.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Happy Valentine's Day to you all and I hope you enjoyed reading this- especially you, **Rui**! I'm sorry that it's so close to the end of the posting period ^^;;
> 
> Constructive criticism is also greatly appreciated, of course <3


End file.
